At approximately 1:30 A.M. On or about 5/19/2026, troopers with the MN State Patrol responded to a fatal hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian (Victim). The location of the crash was on southbound MN Highway 252 at 73rd Avenue in the city of Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County, MN. Troopers arrived on scene and confirmed Victim [NAME REDACTED]. They appeared to have been struck by a vehicle and thrown into a highway guardrail. Troopers learned that before being struck, Victim had been a passenger in a vehicle also traveling southbound on Highway 252. According to eyewitnesses, Victim got out of that car during an argument at which point the driver pulled onto the shoulder of southbound MNTH 252 just prior to 73rd Avenue.
The occupants then tried to convince Victim [NAME REDACTED] into their vehicle. Eyewitnesses reported that Victim [NAME REDACTED] on the driver’s side of the vehicle near the fog line when a passing motorist struck her, failed to stop, and continued southbound on Highway 252. Troopers observed numerous pieces of a dark grey vehicle strewn about the scene and collected them as evidence. Some of the pieces had serial numbers indicating they were designed for a 2016-2019 Toyota Rav4. Based on the evidence recovered at the crash site, investigators believed the suspect vehicle sustained damage to the front bumper on the passenger side, the passenger side mirror, the passenger side fog lamp, and a rain guard on a passenger side window.
Traffic cameras did not capture the crash. They did, however, capture a dark Toyota Rav4 near the crash site before and after the crash occurred. The traffic cameras captured the suspect vehicle in the following matter: • Southbound 252 / 85th Avenue – 01:21:57 • Southbound 252 / Humboldt Avenue – 01:22:05 (both headlights on and working) • Southbound 252 / Brookdale Drive – 01:22:47 • Southbound 252 to 73rd (turned west) – 01:23:19 • 73rd to southbound 252 (turned south) – 01:25:22 (passenger headlight out) • Southbound 252 / 70th Avenue – 01:25:47 • Southbound 252 / 694 – 01:27:01 • Southbound 94 / 57th Avenue – 01:27:28 • Southbound 94 / 49th Avenue – 01:27:44 • Southbound 94 / 42nd Avenue – 01:29:11 • Southbound 94 / Lowry Avenue – 01:30:23 (passenger headlight out) Traffic cameras lost sight of the suspect vehicle at the intersection of Interstate 94 & Lowry Avenue.
MN State Patrol issued requests for information regarding the suspect gray Toyota Rav4 on social media platforms. Officers reported that they were dispatched to a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of Emerald Pond Park, Ramsey, MN, on 5/19/2026 at approximately 5:00 P.M. The vehicle was a gray 2017 Toyota Rav4 bearing Minnesota license plate [PLATE REDACTED]. The driver was identified as RYANT TARNUE FREEMAN [DOB REDACTED], Defendant herein. Defendant was sleeping in the back with his cat. The vehicle had damage consistent with the suspect vehicle description.
